Planethttp://charles.plessy.org/Debian/planet/
Chez CharlesikiwikiWed, 06 May 2015 06:20:54 +0000Long life to Jessie!http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/jessie/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/jessie/
DebianWed, 06 May 2015 05:57:25 +00002015-05-06T05:57:25Z<p>Debian published <a href="https://www.debian.org/News/2015/20150426">Jessie</a> last
month. Big congratulations to the release team and all the contributors;
quality is again at the rendez-vous!</p>
<p>This time, I could not contribute much, being busy with parental activities
(hello my son, if you read me), apart from making sure that my packages are
ready for the D Day. This work was made easy by the automated removals of
buggy packages set up by the release team. Many thanks for that
development.</p>
<p>I hope to use Jessie for a long time without the need of upgrading to
<em>Testing</em>. At the moment, it provides everything I need, including the
input of Japanese characters together with the possibility to switch between
Japanese (or American) and multilingual Canadian keyboard layouts, which was
not easy to do anymore in Wheezy.</p>
<p>Many thanks again.</p>
News of the package mime-support.http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/mime-support-2015/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/mime-support-2015/
DebianWed, 04 Feb 2015 13:00:51 +00002015-02-04T13:00:51Z<p>The package <a href="http://packages.debian.org/%60mime%2Dsupport%60"><code>mime-support</code></a> is installed by default on Debian
systems. It has two roles: first to provide the file <code>/etc/mime.types</code> that
associates <em>media types</em> (formerly called <em>MIME types</em>) to suffixes of file
names, and second to provide the
<em><a href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1524">mailcap</a></em> system that associates
media types with programs. I <a href="http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/planet/../debiâneries/mime-support/">adopted</a> this package at the
end of the development cycle of <em>Wheezy</em>.</p>
<h2>Changes since <em>Wheezy</em>.</h2>
<p>The version distributed in <em>Jessie</em> brings a few additions in
<code>/etc/mime.types</code>. Among them,
<a href="https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/application/vnd.debian.binary-package"><code>application/vnd.debian.binary-package</code></a>
and
<a href="https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/text/vnd.debian.copyright"><code>text/vnd.debian.copyright</code></a>,
which as their name suggest describe two file formats designed by Debian. I
registered these types to the
<a href="https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/media-types.xhtml">IANA</a>,
which is more open to the addition of new types since the
RFC <a href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6838">6838</a>.</p>
<p>The biggest change is the automatic extraction of the associations between
programs and media types that are declared in the menu files in <a href="http://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/">FreeDesktop
format</a>.
Before, it was the maintainer of the Debian package who had to extract this
information and translate it in <em>mailcap</em> format by hand. The automation is
done via <code>dpkg</code> <em><a href="http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/planet/../debiâneries/triggers/">triggers</a></em>.</p>
<p>A big thank you to Kevin Ryde who gave me a precious help for the
developments and corrections to the <code>run-mailcap</code> program, and to all the
<a href="http://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs//main/m/mime-support/unstable_changelog">other
contributors</a>.
Your help is always welcome!</p>
<h2>Security updates.</h2>
<p>In December, Debian has been contacted by Timothy D. Morgan, who found that
an attacker could get <code>run-mailcap</code> to execute commands by inserting them in
file names
(<a href="https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2014-7209">CVE-2014-7209</a>).
This first security update for me went well, thanks to the help and
instructions of Salvatore Bonaccorso from the Security team. The problem is
solved in <em>Wheezy</em>, <em>Jessie</em> and <em>Sid</em>, as well as in <em>Squeeze</em> through its
<a href="https://www.debian.org/News/2014/20140616">long term support</a>.</p>
<p>One of the consequences of this security update is that <code>run-mailcap</code> will
systematically use the absolute path to the files to open. For harmless
files, this is a bit ugly. This will perhaps be improved after <em>Jessie</em> is
released.</p>
<h2>Future projects</h2>
<p>The file <code>/etc/mime.types</code> is kept up to date by hand; this is slow and
inefficient. The package <a href="http://packages.debian.org/%60shared%2Dmime%2Dinfo%60"><code>shared-mime-info</code></a> contains similar
information, that could be used to autogenerate this file, but that would
require to parse a XML source that is quite complex. For the moment, I am
considering to import Fedora's
<a href="https://git.fedorahosted.org/cgit/mailcap.git/"><code>mailcap</code></a> package, where
the file <code>/etc/mime.types</code> is very well kept up to date. I have not yet
decided how to do it, but maybe just by moving that file from one package to
the other. In that case, we would have the <code>mime-support</code> package that
would provide <code>mailcap</code> support, and the package whose source is Fedora's
<code>mailcap</code> package who would provide <code>/etc/mime.types</code>. Perhaps it will be
better to use clearer names, such as <code>mailcap-support</code> for the first and
<code>media-types</code> for the second?</p>
<p>Separating the two main functionalities of <code>mime-support</code> would have an
interesting consequence: the possibility of not installing the support for
the <em>mailcap</em> system, or to make it optional, and instead to use the
FreeDesktop sytem (<code>xdg-open</code>), from the package <a href="http://packages.debian.org/%60xdg%2Dutils%60"><code>xdg-utils</code></a>.
Something to keep in mind...</p>
nodejs-legacyhttp://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/nodejs-legacy/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/nodejs-legacy/
DebianWed, 14 Jan 2015 08:42:03 +00002015-01-14T08:46:42Z<p><code>apt install nodejs-legacy</code> if you want <code>npm install</code> to work.</p>
Browsing debian-private via SSHhttp://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/debian-private-par-ssh/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/debian-private-par-ssh/
DebianWed, 26 Nov 2014 10:35:27 +00002014-11-26T10:35:27Z<p>I recently realised that one can browse the archives of <em>debian-private</em> via
SSH. I find this a good compromise between subscription and ignorance. Here
is for instance the command for November.</p>
<pre><code>ssh -t master.debian.org mutt -f /home/debian/archive/debian-private/debian-private.201411
</code></pre>
Did we need a general resolution?http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/r%C3%A9solution-g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/r%C3%A9solution-g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale/
DebianSun, 09 Nov 2014 12:31:56 +00002014-11-09T12:40:44Z<p>In 2009 I called for a general resolution regarding membership procedures in
Debian, to block a change that, in my opinion, was going against our
values. Results, even if they satisfied the majority came with a bitter
feeling and it became questioned whether a better solution could have been
reached without using a constraining procedure. I did not think so, but not
to the point of not having doubts about it, and therefore, regrets.</p>
<p>This year, we are again having a vote related to a change that some people
think it goes against our values, and again the existence of this vote
makes it hard to find compromises. Bitterness will win whatever the result
is. For the avoidance of doubt, I have proposed the amendment number 3,
stating that this general resolution should not have been started.</p>
<p>I hope that this amendment will defeat the original proposition and will
make people think twice before pressing Debian's alarm button next time.</p>
<p><em>PS: amendment 3, that is amendment C, that is choice 4. If there was a
need for an example that the procedure is complex, here it is...</em></p>
European consultation on copyrights.http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/EU-copyright/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/EU-copyright/
DebianSat, 01 Feb 2014 13:41:23 +00002014-02-01T13:41:23Z<p>I eventually answered to the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/consultations/2013/copyright-rules/index_en.htm">Public Consultation on the review of the EU
copyright
rules</a>.
As a coincidence, the radio was playing <em>European Super State</em>, from Killing
Joke.</p>
<p>One can see in the consultation the picture of an Internet shaped to better
control the diffusion and copy of non-free works, and monitor for possible
infractions. It is therefore important to answer and remind primacy of the
presumption of innocence, and the importance of the respect of privacy.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I also asked for reducing exceptions of copyrights, because to
give a temporary access to non-free works at zero cost has the consequence
of reducing the incentive for creating alternatives that can be copied,
modified and redistributed freely.</p>
Tiredhttp://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/fatigue/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/fatigue/
DebianSat, 14 Dec 2013 02:19:19 +00002013-12-14T02:19:19Z<p>This morning when preparing the update of a package, and I saw a PNG file in
its documentation. Even before opening it, I felt old, tired, distressed
and unable to escape the situation. Inspecting the file confirmed that the
image was not hand made. The source file is missing. The proof: anther
image in the same directory has the same style and a SVG source. To make
things worse, there are no instructions on how to generate the PNG from the
SVG. More and more in these cases, I give up and abandon the package. I
lost time and energy make Upstream some requirements for which I personally
have no concrete interest. SVG in addition to PNG is better, but PNG alone
for the documentation of a Free software is Free enough for me. However,
the points of view expressed on <code>debian-devel</code> give me the impression that
it is not good enough for Debian, so I just give up…</p>
The source of a package developed in a Git repository is that repository.http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/empaqueter-avec-git/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/empaqueter-avec-git/
DebianSun, 17 Nov 2013 10:43:57 +00002013-11-17T10:43:57Z<p>In his blog, <a href="http://blog.liw.fi/posts/debian-developing-it-wrong/">Lars</a>
puts words on my feelings of weariness in these situations where we are
asked much efforts to make our packages modifiable by contributors who can
not or want not to use Git.</p>
<p>Most of the core Debian tools, dpkg, debhelper, litnian, debian-installer
and many others are developed in Git repositories. Somebody serious about
contributing to Debian can hardly avoid Git.</p>
<p>It is time for our tools and methods to evolve and take advantage of Git.
This requires to say “no thank you” to contributions based on source
packages downloaded from our FTP server, instead of being cloned from the
Git repository where the package is actually developed, and this calls the
question of what is the real source of the binary packages, but this is a
question that is becoming unavoidable.</p>
Debian-Installer in the Amazon cloud.http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/installeur-debian-dans-le-nuage-amazon/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/installeur-debian-dans-le-nuage-amazon/
DebianSun, 27 Oct 2013 13:37:19 +00002013-10-27T13:37:19Z<p>I prepared <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/amis">machine images</a> of the <a href="http://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/debian-installer/">Debian
Installer</a> in each
<a href="http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/using-regions-availability-zones.html">region</a>
of the Amazon <a href="http://aws.amazon.com/ec2/">Elastic Computing Cloud</a>,
following the <a href="http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/planet/../debiâneries/installeur-debian-dans-un-nuage-2/">method</a> that I described
earlier, and that I updated and documented in <a href="http://wiki.debian.org/Cloud/AmazonEC2DebianInstaller">Debian's wiki</a>.</p>
<p>Started with a preseed file, these images install Debian <em>à la carte</em>
on a <a href="http://aws.amazon.com/ebs/">storage volume</a> that can then be
registered as a new machine image. This is not yet automatic, but I am
working on it. In the meantime, it is possible to install Debian
interactively using the <a href="http://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/NetworkConsole#Using_the_network_console_in_the_Amazon_Elastic_Computer_Cloud">network console</a>.</p>
Update of EMBOSS explorer in Wheezy.http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/emboss-explorer/http://charles.plessy.org/Debian/debi%C3%A2neries/emboss-explorer/
DebianMon, 14 Oct 2013 04:19:43 +00002013-10-14T04:19:43Z<p><a href="http://packages.debian.org/emboss-explorer">EMBOSS explorer</a> was
<a href="http://bugs.debian.org/722982">broken</a> in Debian 7 (Wheezy) because of an
incompatibly with EMBOSS 6.4. The package was repaired with the second
update (<a href="http://www.debian.org/News/2013/20131012">7.2</a>). The development
and maintenance of EMBOSS explorer have stopped for many years. If a new
serious bug surfaces, we may need to remove the package rather than repair
it. In consequence, do not hesitate to suggest us an alternative, or if you
are developer and need EMBOSS explorer, to see how you can reinvigorate this
project (currently on <a href="http://embossgui.sourceforge.net/">SourceForge</a>).</p>